Italian Hand Language

You know you speak Italian when you can use the language of the hands. In Italy, body language is an important – if not the most important – part of getting a message. Hand gestures are to Italian conversation and Italian culture what punctuation is to writing. Without realizing it, similar gestures are also used or have been adopted in other countries and cultures, such as holding up an index finger to speak or interrupt, or putting a finger to the lips to request silence. Around 250 specific hand gestures have been identified, each with its own precise meaning.